Thursday, May 10, 2012

SSPX 3 against 4

15 comments:

George
said...

Even if one assumes for the moment that the 3 bishops are correct about Bxvi's lack of sincerity, how, practically, can union with Rome be a trap? If after reconciliation, authorities attempt to do something to undermine the Society, couldn't the Society just ignore them, and just go back into irregular status?

We live in 2012 and the Vatican has very little actual power to make local churches and communities obey. It's sort of all an honor system now. I'm not sure I understand what practically can happen to the Society should Rome try to do something nasty.

"I entrust this whole matter in the hands of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, “Mother of the Priest par excellence, Our Lord Jesus Christ, and through Him, of all priests in whom she forms her Son”."

Interesting that you protest you put it all into the hands of the Immaculate after you smear the actions and reputation of Bishop Fellay and the CDF and promote the other bishops as merely loyal servants of Our Lady (and I'm not saying they're not). Your whole comment just seems a bit disingenuous. Can anyone with a Catholic heart who is looking at the letter from Bishop Fellay not come to the conclusion that he is exercising his office with prudence and wisdom?

Lynda, that comment shows that you don't understand the sspx. The Issue of obeidience to the pope has to be understood in the context of the reality of the current situtation which has lasted now for 50 years. The one and most important role of the sspx is in the continuation of the priesthood. When Rome forced the society out of the visible structure, the matter became a matter of truth and not obedience. Upholding the truth of the church in its entierty has always been one of the satutes of the society this from the beginning, and it was for this reason that the Society was first suspended, because Lefebvre upheld catholic truth. To suggest that the soviety is incapable of obedience does not follow any form of logic. It is like saying: ''the sky is blue, sea is bleu, therefore the sky is the same thing as the sea!''

"We renew the definition of the Ecumenical Council of Florence, by which all the faithful of Christ must believe "that the Apostolic See and the Roman Pontiff hold primacy over the whole world, and that the Pontiff of Rome himself is the successor of the blessed Peter, the chief of the apostles, and is the true vicar of Christ and head of the whole Church and faith, and teacher of all Christians; and that to him was handed down in blessed Peter, by our Lord Jesus Christ, full power to feed, rule, and guide the universal Church, just as is also contained in the records of the ecumenical Councils and in the sacred canons.

... the faithful of whatever rite and dignity, both as separate individuals and all together, are bound by a duty of hierarchical submission and true obedience, not only in things pertaining to faith and morals, but also in those which pertain to the discipline and government of the Church spread over the whole world, so that the Church of Christ, protected not only by the Roman Pontiff, but by the unity of communion as well as of the profession of the same faith is one flock under the one highest shepherd. This is the doctrine of Catholic truth from which no one can deviate and keep his faith and salvation." "

Evagrius. Nice quote! But Was St Paul disobedient when he admonished Peter? Was St Athanasius disobedient? Also you will note that the obedience is due to the Church of Christ, Not directly to the Pontif but indierctly. In the Last 50 years, the Popes have abused their position by failing to transmit the deposit of Faith. Examples are numerous. But in the spirit of true obedience one has the duty to uphold the truths of the catholic church, for our Holy Mother the church and for our Holy Father, the Pope. One has the duty to resist abuses of power and position like the great Bishop of Lincoln Robert Grossetest. St Robert Bellarmine explains:"Just as it is licit to resist the Pontif who attacks the Body, so also it is licit to to resist him who attcks the souls or destroys civil order, or above all tries to destroy the Church. I say it is licit to resist him by not doing what he orders and by impeding the execution of his will"

I know this is somewhat late but I feel that I must respond to "credidi's" comments on the SSPX. While I do have sympathies with the SSPX, I reject the notions that they are the only ones who have been upholding Catholic truth, orthodoxy, and tradition in the midst of the confusion of the last 40 years. We are forgetting the tireless work of holy diocesan priests who, often, have faced and still faced hostile conditions from their brother priests and perhaps even their local ordinary while still attempting to maintain the proper celebration of the Novus Ordo and promoting the TLM in their respective dioceses. These priests, in my opinion, are the unsung heroes in this conflict. The SSPX is not the sole stronghold of Catholic orthodoxy, they are merely a part of the whole. I would like to clarify that I make these focusing on priests in general and this comment is in no way intended to derogate from the efforts of our beloved Holy Father.

you are absolutely correct Altare Dei, the SSPX are not the only ones who are fighting for catholic tradition. But I am sure nobody can contradict me when i affirm that they are the most vocal. They are, as it were, the modern day St Paul or St Athansius getting their voice heard. for example they were the only ones, apart from M. L'abbe Aulagnier, to voice their opposition to Assis. As a catholic I know that if I want the neat whisky, whereever I am, the SSPX will always give it to me, without compromise, without ambiguity, and without change. there are indeed heros for tradition amidst the diocisan clergy.

Ubi Petrus, ibi ecclesia, et ubi ecclesia vita eterna

Pray for Francis our Pope, and for the Church of God

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